June 15

 

Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941) witness

On June 15, 1941 Evelyn Underhill, whose career as writer, spiritual guide and preacher was among the most fruitful in recent English history, died in London.
Evelyn was born in 1875 in Wolverhampton into a wealthy family. She was able to attend King's College in London, and she then continued her education by travelling throughout Europe and around the world.
A decisive moment in her spiritual life came when she met Baron von Hügel, the spiritual father of an entire generation of Anglicans. Under his guidance, Evelyn came to realize the importance of remaining faithful to her own religious tradition. At the same time, she continued to establish many ties with other Christian denominations through prayer and intense personal friendships.
Evelyn married Stuart Moore, a childhood friend, and dedicated herself with passion to a ministry of preaching and spiritual guidance that was most unusual for a woman in the English church at the beginning of the twentieth century. Known for her well-balanced spiritual insight, she was the first woman invited to give a public theology lecture at Oxford University. She later received an honorary diploma in theology and became a fellow of King's College in London.
Evelyn Underhill spent her remaining days teaching others through her writing, which was always of remarkable human and spiritual quality, of the importance of the inner and mystical life in the experience of every Christian.

BIBLICAL READINGS

Prov 4:1-9; 1 Cor 2:1-10; Jn 16:12-15

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THE CHURCHES REMEMBER...

ANGLICANS:
Evelyn Underhill, spiritual writer 

COPTS AND ETHIOPIANS (8 ba'unah/sane):
Dediction of the church of the Virgin at al-Mahammah (Coptic Orthodox Church)
Dediction of the church of the Virgin at Heliopolis (Coptic Catholic Church)

LUTHERANS:
Georg Israel (d. 1588), preacher in Poland

MARONITES:
Basil (d. 379), bishop of Caesarea

ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS AND GREEK CATHOLICS:
Amos (8th cent. BCE), prophet

WEST SYRIAN ORTHODOX:
Dedication of the first church to the virgin Mary

OLD CATHOLICS:
Bernard of Aosta (d. 1081), confessor